What do you think of chuck e. cheese bday parties?

[hereonceagain]

Do you consider them a decent option for a kids party? I dislike the place for a million reasons bu I know kids love it. Thoughts?

[jena]

If my kids wanted it and the price was decent, I'd consider it. But I have hidden the existance of Chuck E Cheese from my children, so it's a non-issue so far. If we were invited to one, I would take my kids and not think twice about the fact it's at chuck e cheese.

If I were throwing the party... it seems like the price is higher than having a party at a bounce house though unless you have a really small group... and you don't even get the place to yourselves like you do with a bounce house. Actually, having it open to the public is a huge drawback for me - I'd rather have parties in a more contained/controlled setting but I'm guessing that will be less of an issue with older kids.

[Becca]

DD was invited to a CEC b-day party recently. It was insanity. I don't ever want to go back, and would seriously consider declining a future invite for the sole purpose of it being at CEC.

The lights, the sounds, the people - all too much wrapped up in a nice little germ factory. Not to mention it feels like I am turning my kid into a little gambler. It is a disgusting place in so many ways.

DD knows that we will never go back, and it doesn't bother her at all.

[ellipses84]

I know someone who was on the fence about TTC and one of the reasons is they never wanted to have to go to Chuck E Cheese, lol! I told them they never have to, but they still haven't had kids!

I hated the last bday party I had to attend there, but I have a lot of happy memories as a kid. We have done similar type, but slightly less crazy, places for our kids bdays. I would only do CEC if they really begged to and I couldn't convince them anywhere else was better.

[Deleted]

Its horrible. The food is terrible and it is insanely chaotic.

[mollybrown]

I don't mind them. We've only gone to one so far. I doubt I would host one, though. There isn't much interaction among the party guests. DS got there, got his tokens compliments of the birthday girl, played games and rode rides until it was time to eat, quickly ate pizza and cake, and then rode more rides until the tokens ran out. The CEC employees simultaneously did the happy birthday song and pre cake stuff for about 6 kids, so it felt pretty impersonal.

[Deleted]

I hate that place with the fire of 1000 hells ( I didn't really like it as a kid either) but if DS wanted a CEC party I would let him have one.

[Deleted]

I would never go on a weekend, but I've been to several DIY weekday parties and they've been fine (I"ve even hosted one). It isn't as crowded on a Wednesday night and you can use all the coupons to get a much better price than doing the $15/per kid party

[6fsn]

I've never been to cec and hope to never have to take my children there.

[dochas]

Terrible. I will do whatever I can do avoid attending a party there.

[birdmom]

I got the salad bar from there once, and as I was putting food on my plate, this little kid came over (maybe 5 years old, so old enough to know better), took the spoon out of the cottage cheese, took a bite and put the spoon back in. All while his dad was standing behind him, and he said nothing to him about it.

So, I think it's a gross place. But if DS was invited to a party, we'd go. But I wouldn't eat the salad bar.

[mrssandro]

I took DD to a birthday party there. I was about to go BSC. But DD loved it. I will probably guide her away from ever doing it in a place like that unless she requested it.

[cjeanette]

I hate them. We still did DDs 4th this year there as she went to a party earlier and was obsessed with Chuck E Cheese.

It was so much cheaper than the bounce house parties. For $110 all the kids got pizza a drinks. It was a sunday so they each got 50 tokens to spend. E got a blow up crown and a birthday medal. There were 16 kids.

The bounce house or Monkey Bizness parties run me $300-$500. No one gets fed. You do get private rooms that way though.

[whitepicketfence]

My kids are still little so we haven't had this issue yet. I'm not sure that I'd ever throw my kids a party there, but I wouldn't have a problem taking them there for someone else's party. I went there a few times as a kid and thought it was fun. As an adult, I'm sure it will annoy the crap out of me but I could deal for a few hours if my kids were having fun.

[anna7602]

Not a fan. I've taken DD to a CEC party and went to a lot as a kid myself. It's mass chaos. Fun for the kids, but so are a lot of other party options. I would not do one myself, but we would still go to another one if invited.

[schrodinger]

I'm so thankful that the nearest CEC is 30 miles away. Instead of CEC, I'd consider hosting a party at a bowling alley or ice rink.

[h]

I don't love them, but I can tolerate them. My kids have been to a handful of parties there, and they think they are awesome. I would certainly not refuse to take them to to a CEC party--it's a pizza place with obnoxious games, not a gun range. While I would try to steer them toward another choice, I would let them have their party there is that is what they really, really wanted.

[Becca]

Oct 12, 2012 12:28:26 GMT -5 h said:

I don't love them, but I can tolerate them. My kids have been to a handful of parties there, and they think they are awesome. I would certainly not refuse to take them to to a CEC party--it's a pizza place with obnoxious games, not a gun range.

Haha, lol about gun range. Around here, sometimes I am not so sure.

The CEC closest to our house is frequented by some unsavory folks - they use it as some weird sort of hang out. I am definitely uncomfortable there, and did actually see a gun last time we were there.

[h]

Oct 12, 2012 12:37:13 GMT -5 Becca said:

Oct 12, 2012 12:28:26 GMT -5 h said:

I don't love them, but I can tolerate them. My kids have been to a handful of parties there, and they think they are awesome. I would certainly not refuse to take them to to a CEC party--it's a pizza place with obnoxious games, not a gun range.

Haha, lol about gun range. Around here, sometimes I am not so sure.

The CEC closest to our house is frequented by some unsavory folks - they use it as some weird sort of hang out. I am definitely uncomfortable there, and did actually see a gun last time we were there.

If is approximates a gun range, then I agree with your decision to stay away!

There are two CECs around me. The one closest to my house is obnoxiously loud, but relatively clean and filled with perfectly normal families with small kids. Annoying, but tolerable. The other one is sketchy as all hell and not some place I would want to hang out or feel particularly comfortable taking my kids. All the parties we have been to have been at the nice one--everyone even refers to them as the "nice" CEC and the "scary" CEC. It sounds like you only have a scary CEC.

[Deleted]

I like taking the kids there on off hours. I've let 2 have birthdays there but just with family. I think it's too much for a big party. Last time I was there I almost got in a fight...so I have no plans to go back. I cannot deal with parents that let their children run wild. I've never in my life gotten into a confrontation with a stranger but apparently asking a kid to get off the skeet ball machine was a huge sin...I thought the mom who was apparently watching from 30' behind me was going to deck me. Scary sh*t irrational...unsavory characters is a good description--cheating, mistreating property, disrupting everyone around you is A-OK but God help you if you dare say a word!!

[dragonfly08]

I hate CEC. Every one I've been in is dirty, has horrible food, and is a zoo. I can't keep an eye on my kids and I don't fully trust their security procedures.

If my kids get invited there, I'll take them. But I hate every minute of it, and I'd never host a party there myself.

[luvmagoldn]

My plan is to stay out of CEC for as long as possible. So far, so good!

[cjeanette]

Oct 12, 2012 15:08:28 GMT -5 dragonfly08 said:

don't fully trust their security procedures.

Really? I have never had them let me leave without checking our hands. At DD's party my son tried to run out to my moms van with her. They wouldn't let him even though he told them she was his grandma.

[fortmyersbride]

I haven't been in one since I was a kid. I don't remember liking it all that much. DS can't eat pizza so it wouldn't be much fun for him. We've been doing outdoor bday parties for DS so far, and will continue to do so until he catches on to the idea of party places .

Thus far all of his friends have had bounce house or bowling parties.

[Becca]

Oct 12, 2012 15:14:47 GMT -5 cjeanette said:

Oct 12, 2012 15:08:28 GMT -5 dragonfly08 said:

don't fully trust their security procedures.

Really? I have never had them let me leave without checking our hands. At DD's party my son tried to run out to my moms van with her. They wouldn't let him even though he told them she was his grandma.

I have never had them not look at our hands under their black light.
But never once have they actually looked at what was stamped on our hands.

I have brought my friend's kids out no problem on multiple occasions.

[dragonfly08]

Oct 12, 2012 15:14:47 GMT -5 cjeanette said:

Oct 12, 2012 15:08:28 GMT -5 dragonfly08 said:

don't fully trust their security procedures.

Really? I have never had them let me leave without checking our hands. At DD's party my son tried to run out to my moms van with her. They wouldn't let him even though he told them she was his grandma.

I was once able take my kid out even though the employee couldn't read the stamp on DDs arm. They took our word for it. So I'm not too sold on all of their staff being 100% vigilant.

[jena]

Oct 12, 2012 8:41:37 GMT -5 cjeanette said:

I hate them. We still did DDs 4th this year there as she went to a party earlier and was obsessed with Chuck E Cheese.

It was so much cheaper than the bounce house parties. For $110 all the kids got pizza a drinks. It was a sunday so they each got 50 tokens to spend. E got a blow up crown and a birthday medal. There were 16 kids.

The bounce house or Monkey Bizness parties run me $300-$500. No one gets fed. You do get private rooms that way though.

That's wild. My CEC is priced at $13/kid for the cheapest party. So 16 kids would be $208. DS's party is actually at Monkey Bizness next Saturday and it's $200 for 25 kids. Granted, that doesn't include food, but for $10 I can bring in my own food and not eat nasty pizza.

[bronxgirl]

I haven't been to CEC in about 30 yrs and have no desire to change that. Luckily, there aren't any around me.